the reason why you're so fatigued all the time and so tired all the time is because you’re trying to fight battles that belong to GOD. they’re GOD’s. we assume GOD’s role.
you think, “i will make this thing work.” and out of sheer willpower we put our head down, our shoulder into it and buck up and say, “just out of my own willpower and energy i will... save this marriage... turn my kids around ... resolve my financial difficulties... find a life mate... make myself a success.” out of sheer willpower. you’re striving and fighting!
time out! GOD says, “this is not your battle. It’s mine. if you belong to me, I’ll fight your battle.”
when i come to CHRIST and say, “JESUS CHRIST, i want to serve YOU the rest of my life. i want YOU to be my master and i will be YOUr servant.” when i put myself in the servant position to the MASTER GOD, the MASTER assumes responsibility for all the needs of the servant.
if i live in the master’s house, he pays for my room, and board, and insurance, and cares for my medical needs and all the other things because I’m serving him. when i come to CHRIST and say, “i’m yours,” HE assumes responsibility for my needs. the battle is not mine anymore; it’s HIS.
but we don't get this. we try to fight GOD’s battles all the time. we go out and work real hard and try real hard and we give it our best shot and inevitably we fail and we’re disappointed in ourselves and we come back with our heads bowed, our eyes droopy, our tail between our legs and we walk into GOD and say, “GOD, i’m so sorry. i’ve really let you down. i know that i tried hard and tried to do this and i’ve made a mess of it. i blew it. i have really let you down. i’m sorry, GOD.”
and GOD says, “wait just a minute! let me clarify this. you didn’t let me down because you’re not holding me up!”
have you ever thought about that? you don’t let GOD down because you don’t hold HIM up. GOD holds you up; you don’t hold him up.
you cannot disappoint GOD. this is what grace is all about. you don’t earn GOD’s pleasure, GOD’s approval. it is a free gift when you trust in HIS SON CHRIST. you don’t hold GOD up, HE holds you up. you don’t help you. HE helps you! it’s not your battle!
just a thought from the front porch…
2 comments:
I love this post, Bill, as I do so many of yours, though I don't always comment. It's funny because just last week I posted Milton's poem "On His Blindness" at the forum which makes the same exact point. I wonder if you've read it. We really do put so much pressure on ourselves to succeed and achieve things. We should just relax and let life take its course.
thanks so much for your thought. when i was a single youth pastor i wanted to reinforce the fact that GOD didn't want me to do the work but HE wanted to do it through me, so i put signs all around my apartment, "relax, let ME do it." i really believe that is what HE wants us to do, "relax, let ME do it." thanks again for reading.
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